There is a new way for Central Oklahomans to be informed when there will be higher levels of ozone pollution.
During warmer months, emissions from various transportation and energy related activities chemically react with sunlight and heat to form ground-level ozone. When conditions project the possibility of high ozone pollution in Central Oklahoma, ACOG and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) declare an Ozone Alert Day.
Text ‘OZONE’ to 50597 to receive ACOG Ozone Alerts via mobile phone texts. Standard message and data rates apply.
“Text alerts give us the ability to reach more people that need the information to protect their health, said Mark W. Sweeney, ACOG Executive Director. “And all of us can take actions to reduce emissions on Ozone Alert Days.”
Ozone exposure is a health risk to the entire population but particularly to children, the elderly, anyone with respiratory issues like asthma, people with cardiovascular disease, and anyone who experiences prolonged outdoor exposure.
Ozone Alert Days also serve to notify the public that they can reduce their contribution to dangerous ground-level ozone by driving less on those days (take public transit, carpool, delay errands, avoid drive-thru’s, avoid traffic congestion), defer mowing, avoid outdoor burning, avoid use of VOC paints and other chemicals, refuel vehicles after dark, and conserve electricity.